'Warrior of the Brazilian people': By Julia Carneiro, BBC News

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Lula went from the courtroom to a campaign style rally where thousands of his supporters gathered, many wearing the red colour of his Worker's Party. He was cheered on as a "warrior of the Brazilian people" and defied his accusers.

He said they had produced no evidence against him - and that he wanted to be judged on proof, not on interpretations.

Excerpts of the hearing started being shown on TV immediately afterwards, with commentators trying to decide which side had prevailed.

But this call will only be clear in the coming weeks: Judge Moro is expected to hand down his verdict in 45 to 60 days.

This is the first of the five charges that Lula faces related to the Car Wash scandal, Brazil's biggest ever corruption investigation.

He is also accused of money laundering, influence peddling and obstruction of justice.

Meanwhile, a much smaller group of opponents of the former president also gathered, raising an inflatable caricature of Lula dressed in prison garb.